Toy dancing puppet

ABSTRACT

A toy which resembles a dancing puppet has a body with two articulated elongated inclined members, one member being pivotally secured at its upper end to the lower end of the body and the other member being pivotally secured at its upper end to the lower end of the one member. These members resemble a leg. The body is secured to a horizontal member extending through a vertical slot in a vertical plate. Spring like means connected between the horizontal member and the plate at a point above the slot bias the horizontal member against the top of the slot. When the horizontal member is pressed down and then released, the body and members vibrate and simulate dancing.

1 Umte States Patent 11 1 1111 3,859,751 Leblanc Jan. 14, 1975 TOY DANCING PUPPET [75] Inventor: George E. Leblanc, Iroquois Falls, Z f' EExamufernliouls Mancene Ontario, Canada sszstant xammer .Q. ever [73] Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization,

Inc., New York, NY. [57] ABSTRACT A toy which resembles a dancing puppet has a body [22] Flled 1974 with two articulated elongated inclined members, one [21] Appl. No.: 430,673 member being pivotally secured at its upper end to the lower end of the body and the other member being pivotally secured at its upper end to the lower end of [2%] the one member These members resemble a leg The E 138 body is secured to a horizontal member extending 0 12 through a vertical slot in a vertical plate. Spring like I 16 means connected between the horizontal member and 56 R f Ct d the plate at a point above the slot bias the horizontal 1 e erences e member against the top of the slot. When the horizon- UNITED STATES PATENTS tal member is pressed down and then released, the 514,620 2/1894 Fuller 46/161 body and members vibrate and simulate dancing. 1,442,970 l/l923 Rank 46/137 3,063,193 11/1963 Reinosa 46/1 37 2 Clams, 2 Drawmg Flgures TOY DANCING PUPPET SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed toward a toy which simulates a puppet dancer. To this end a horizontal base supports a vertical plate having an elongated vertical slot. A horizontal member extends through the slot. Spring like means extending between the plate at a point above the slot and the horizontal member to normally bias the member against the top of the slot.

A puppet body is secured to the horizontal member. A first elongated inclined member is pivotally secured at its upper end to the bottom of the body. A second elongated inclined member is pivotally secured at its upper end to the lower end of the first inclined member. These members and body simulate a puppet with an articulated leg.

When the horizontal member is pressed down against the bias force and the pressure is released, a simulated dancing action is obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention; and FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a horizontal base supports a vertical rectangular plate 12 having a bottom opening 14 and a vertical slot 16 disposed above opening 14.

A T shaped member has a horizontal bar 18 extending through the slot and a vertical bar 20 extending downward from the midpoint of bar 18. Upper and lower guides 22 and 24 secured to one surface of plate 12 slidably receive bar 20 whereby bar 20 can move up and down and bar 18 can move up and down between the top edge of the vertical slot and the top end of the uppermost guide 22.

A hook 26 secured to the plate at a point above the slot supports the upper end of rubber band 28. The lower end of the band is secured to bar 18 whereby bar 18 is biased upwardly against the upper end of the slot. (A coil spring can be substituted for the band.)

A vertical puppet body 30 disposed adjacent surface of plate 12 opposite to the surface carrying the guides is secured to bar 18.

A first elongated inclined member 32 lying in a vertical plane is pivotally secured at its upper end to the bottom of body 30. Body 30 has a stop 34 cooperating with a prong 36 on the upper end of member 32 whereby the pivotal movement of member 32 is limited as shown.

A second inclined member 38 is pivotally secured at its top end to the lower end of member 32. Prong 40 on this top end cooperates with stop 42 on member 32 to limit the movement of member 38 as shown.

The bottom end of member 38 has the shape of a foot. Normally the foot is disposed above the base.

When the bar 18 is pushed down to a maximum depth determined by the position of guide 22 and then released, the bias action will pull the bar back up. This procedure can be repeated rapidly or slowly to produce the desired movement.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

I claim:

1. A toy comprising:

a horizontal base;

a vertical plate extending upward from the base, said plate having a vertically elongated slot, said plate further having guides;

first means including a horizontal member extending through said slot and a vertical member secured to the horizontal member, the plate guides constraining the movement of the vertical member and limiting same to an up and down motion;

second spring like means interconnecting the horizontal member to a point on the post above the slot to bias said horizontal member to a normal position at which it bears against the top end of the slot;

a vertical puppet body secured to said horizontal member;

a first inclined elongated member pivotally secured at its upper end to the bottom end of the body; and

a second inclined member having a lower end shaped as a foot and pivotally secured at its upper end to the lower end of the first inclined member whereby pressing down of said horizontal member against the bias and then releasing the pressure will cause the body and inclined members to vibrate in a vertical plane, the upper ends of each of the inclined members having prongs which cooperate with stops disposed on the adjacent lower ends of the body and first inclined member respectively to produce the desired movements.

2. The toy of claim I wherein the vertical separation between the slot and the guide closest thereto defines the length of the vertical movement.

l= =l l 

1. A toy comprising: a horizontal base; a vertical plate extending upward from the base, said plate having a vertically elongated slot, said plate further having guides; first means including a horizontal member extending through said slot and a vertical member secured to the horizontal member, the plate guides constraining the movement of the vertical member and limiting same to an up and down motion; second spring like means interconnecting the horizontal member to a point on the post above the slot to bias said horizontal member to a normal position at which it bears against the top end of the slot; a vertical puppet body secured to said horizontal member; a first inclined elongated member pivotally secured at its upper end to the bottom end of the body; and a second inclined member having a lower end shaped as a foot and pivotally secured at its upper end to the lower end of the first inclined member whereby pressing down of said horizontal member against the bias and then releasing the pressure will cause the body and inclined members to vibrate in a vertical plane, the upper ends of each of the inclined members having prongs which cooperate with stops disposed on the adjacent lower ends of the body and first inclined member respectively to produce the desired movements.
 2. The toy of claim 1 wherein the vertical separation between the slot and the guide closest thereto defines the length of the vertical movement. 